Joint for rails and structural steelwork.



e. H.HOELSCHER. JOINT FOR RAILS AND STRUCTURAL STEELWORK.

V APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, me. 1,213,195, Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

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G. H. HOELSCHER.

JOINT FOR RAILS AND STRUCTURAL ST WORK.

APPLICATION man um 24. 19

"1,213,195. Patented Jan. 2 917.

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GOTTLIEB H. HOELSCHER, OF BATTLE CREEK, IOWA.

JOINT FOR RAILS AND STRUCTURAL STEELWORK.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan, 23, 1917.

Application filed May 24, 1916. Serial No. 99,629. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GOTTLIEB H. Hounsoi-rnn, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Battle Creek, in the county of Ida and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Joints for Rails and Structural Steelwork, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in rail joints and it is an object of the inventionto provide a novel and improved pansion or contraction of the rails under the influence of the elements.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved rail joint wherein the meeting ends ofthe rails are interlocked in such a manner as to prevent either vertical or lateral relative movement of the meeting ends and whereby the meetingends of the rails may be readily and conveniently assembled or disassembled.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved rall oint whereby certain important advantages are attained and the devlce 1s rendered simpler, less expensive and othertrating a rail joint constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation illustrat ng a rail joint embodying my invention as disclosed in Fig. 1 with the meeting ends of the rails in separated relation Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Flg. 1; Fig. 4: 1s a side elevational' View illustrating a rail joint constructed' in accordance with a further embodiment of my invention; Fig; 5 is an elevational view illustrating theembodiment of the rail joint as illustrated in Fig. 4 with the meeting ends of the rails in separated relation; and Fig.

6 is a sectional view taken substantially on V the line 66 of Fig. 4. j I As disclosed in the accompanying draw- 1ngs, 11 denotethe meeting ends'of rails having the webs thereof of materially increased thickness and of a thickness in excess of the width of the head or bolt of the rail. One of the rails 1 is provided with an extension 2 including the head or ball of the rail and the upper portion of the web, while the second rail 1 is provided with an extension 8 including the lower portion of the web of the rail and the flanges.

The forward end of the extension 2 is provided with a longitudinally directed tongue 1 at the lower portion thereof which is adapted to be extended. within a pocket 5 produced in the portion of the second meeting end 1 and above the extension 3 thereof, and it is to be noted that the thickness or vertical diameter of the extension-3 is less than the vertical diameter of the pocket 5 in order to afford, when the meeting ends of the rails are assembled, a transversely disposed opening'ti through which the wedge member 7 is adapted to be directed, said wedge 7 being provided with a longitudinally disposed slot 8 through which a key 9 is adapted to be forced in order to maintain the wedge member 7 in requisite assemblage. The extension 3 has the upper portion of its free end provided with a longitudinally disposed tongue 10 adapted to be received within a pocket 11 formed in the meeting end of thefco'acting rail 1 and it is also to be observed that the thickness or a vertical diameterof the tongue 10 is lesstha-n the vertical diameter of the pocket 11, whereby I a transversely disposed opening 12 is afforded for the passage of a second wedge member 7 which is also maintained in applied position in the same manner as the first named wedge member. 7

The rear portion of the upper or horizontal surface of the extension 3 is provided with a depression 14: which also includes the lower horizontal wall ofthe pocket 5, and

said depressed portion 1i adapted to receive the depending lug 15 formed on the outer end portion of the extension and the tongue etcarried thereby.

In order to prevent any relative lateral movement of the meeting ends of the rails 1 when in assembled position, I provide the under surface of the extension 2 and the lug 15 with the groove 16 of material width and which adapted to receive the upstanding head 17 of corresponding formation carried by the upper surface of the ex tension and the depressed portion 1% thereof. s

I t is thought to be self-evident that with the wedge members 7 in applied position, the meeting ends of the rails are effectively maintained in assembled relation and it will be self-evident that in the event the joint should become loose as a result of wear, the same can be quickly and readily tightened by giving requisite endwise movement to the members 7.

In the form of invention illustrated in Figs. i, and (i, the various parts are substantially the same as has hereinbefore been described except that the coacting surfaces of the extensions 2 and 3 are provided with a. plurality of transversely disposed interlocking ribs 18 and grooves 19 and that the smaller ends of the wedge members 7 are provided with the threaded shanks 20 with each of which is adapted to co-act a conventional washer 2-1 and holding nut It is to be noted that the depending lug 15 is of a length less than the depressed portion 14; in order to compensate for expansion and contraction, as is believed to be clearly disclosed in the accompanying drawings and wherein it will be noted that the tongues iwill slide back and forth relative to the adjacent wedges 7 or 7. It will also be noted that the meeting ends of the rails can be assembled from the side which is of especial importance should a rail break after the track is laid. A new rail can be easily put in place by sliding the same in from the side which could not be done from the end on account of the length of the rail.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a rail joint constructed in accordance with my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without material departure from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice.

lVhile my invention is shown and de-- scribed specifically in connection with the meeting ends of rails, yet it is to be understood that it is by no means limited to such use, but is equally adaptable for use in connectionwith structural steel work generally.

I claim 1. A rail joint comprising the meeting ends of rails provided with extensions adapted to be disposed in superposed relation, each of said extensions being provided with a forwardly directed tongue, the coacting meeting end of the rails being provided with a pocket to receive a tongue, each of said tongues being of a. vertical dimension less than the corresponding dimension of the pocket whereby a transverse opening is afforded, and a wedge member insertible through each of ing the meeting ends of the rails in assembled relation.

A rail joint comprising the meeting ends of rails provided with extensions adapted to be disposed in superposed relation, each of said extensions being provided with a forwardly directed tongue, the coacting meeting end of the rails being provided with a pocket to receive a tongue, each of said tongues being of a vertical dimension less than the corresponding dimension of the pocket whereby a transverse openingis afforded, a wedge member insertible through each of said openings for maintaining the meeting ends of the rails in assembled rela tion, and means coacting with the wedge members for holding the same against displacement.

said openings for maintain I '3. A rail joint comprising the nieeting ends of rails provided with extensions adapted to be disposed in superposed relation, each of said extensions being provided with a forwardly directed tongue, the coacting meeting end of the rails being provided with a pocket to receive a tongue, each of said tongues being of a vertical dimension less than the corresponding dimension of the pocket wiereby a transverse opening'is afforded, and a wedge member insertible through each of said openings for maintaining the meeting ends of the rails'in assembled relation, the opposed faces of the extensions being provided with a coacting rib and groove.

1. A rail jointcomprising the meeting ends of rails provided with extensions adapted to be disposed in superposed rela-.

tion, each of said extensions being provided with a forwardly directed tongue, the coact- V ing meeting end of the rails being provided with a pocket to receive a tongue, each of said tongues being of a vertical dimension less than the corresponding dimension of the pocket whereby a transverse opening is af:

forded. and a. wedge member insertible through each of said openings for maintain= ing the meeting ends of the rails in assembled relation, one of the opposed faces of the extensions being provided with a depression, the second opposing face being provided with a lug adapted to extend within said depressed portion.

A rail joint comprising the meeting ends of rails provided with extensions adapt ed to be disposed in superposed relation, each of said extensions being provided with a forwardly directed tongue, the coacting meeting end of the rails being provided With a pocket to receive a tongue, each of said tongues being of a vertical dimension less than the corresponding dimension of the pocket whereby a transverse opening is afforded, and a wedge member insertible through each of said openings for maintaining the meeting ends of the rails in assembled relation, one of the opposed faces of the extensions being provided with a depression, the second opposing face being provided with a lug adapted to extend within said depressed portion, said lug being of a length ,less than the length of the depression.

(5. A rail joint comprising the meeting ends of rails provided with extensions adapt ed to be disposed in superposed relation, each of said extensions being provided With a forwardly directed tongue, the coacting ends of rails provided with extensions adapt ed to be disposed in superposed relation, one of said extensions belng provided with a forwardly directed tongue, the coacting meet-.

ing end being provided with a pocket to receive the tongue, said tongue being of a vertical dimension less than the corresponding dimension of the pocket whereby a trans verse opening is afforded, and means insertible through said opening for maintaining the meeting ends of the rails in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GOTTLIEB H. HOELSCHER. Titnesses:

J. V. VELLNER,

LOUIS Dunn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

